Penelope Small

1992

A senior junior counsel with decades of experience in cases related to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, financial wrongdoing, money laundering and asset forfeiture. Instructed by all the leading prosecuting authorities in the UK in addition to advising and/or representing Claimants, Defendants, and Third Parties [Both Corporates and Individuals] in restraint, trials [including criminal] and/or hearings related to the protection and/or realisation of assets and/or proprietary interests; including in a criminal context both before and after conviction. Specialist in account/cash seizure and/or forfeiture proceedings; restraint and receivership hearings, confiscation hearings, third party intervention in matrimonial proceedings, Disclosure Orders, Warrants and the SAR regime. Regularly instructed in mutual legal assistance matters and in cases where assets are located outside the UK jurisdiction.

Regularly advises Corporates and LLP Solicitor firms who find themselves caught up in civil or criminal investigations. Has an additional expertise navigating proceedings involving marital and or co-habiting partners whose assets are intertwined with an alleged wrongdoer. Was instructed in one of the earliest Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 restraint proceedings involving digital assets [Bitcoin].

Ms Small is a contributing editor of Confiscation and the Proceeds of Crime (Sweet and Maxwell 3rd Edition). Ms Small is a regular lecturer who has recently delivered training on Money Laundering/Confiscation and Extradition proceedings to law officers and stakeholders in the Virgin Islands.

Directory Comments

"Tenacious, formidable and someone who displays  tremendous attention to detail. She is very fluent when in front of the Court of Appeal - her advocacy is incredible."
"She’s an absolute joy to work with. She knows POCA inside out. She always provides very practical advice; it’s always a way to navigate through very complex proceedings. There’s a confidence in her advocacy. She turns work around very quickly and her submissions are first class."
Chambers and Partners 2024

‘Straight-talking, thoughtful, diligent: a dependable team player and an absolute pleasure to deal with.‘
Legal 500 2024

’She is a truly dynamic barrister. She quickly gets to the nub of the issue and always seeks a pragmatic and commercially sound resolution. She has a no-nonsense approach. Her written submissions are exceptional. She is the queen of POCA.‘
Legal 500 2023

"Outstanding, particularly in terms of her written work, she goes into tremendous detail and leaves no stone unturned." 
Chambers and Partners 2023